Family
by Maeinli
Summary: Despite their many differences, England and China find they have something in common.


Disclaimer: I do not own this. I would be a LOT more rich if I did. Rich...what a nice thought. Never going to happen though XD

**Family **

Chasing after a small, mischievous, yet strangely quiet nation, Arthur decided, was much more trouble than it was worth. "Hong Kong! It's time for bed, c'mon you little bugger." He heard a little snicker to his plea; apparently, Hong Kong had no intention of following that specific order.

Rounding the corner, he caught Hong Kong by surprise, and scooped him up, the small boy and started to tickle him causing the usually silent boy to squeal with laughter and struggle to get away, kicking his legs frantically.

"Come on, time for bed." Hong Kong quickly pouted at this idea, not liking it in the least.

"But I'm not tired." The declaration would have been more believable, had not a large yawn escaped from the smaller nation while he said this.

Arthur smiled at his antics, "Sure your not. Let's go." He swiftly marched over to the young boy's room, ignoring the half-hearted protested coming in between yawns. He laid the boy in bed, Hong Kong's eyes slowly slid shut.

Arthur smiled, remembering countless other scenes, involving two small blond boys rather than a small Asian one. But the feeling was the same, this feeling of protectiveness, of wanting them never to grow up, to never leave. It is a very familiar.

Hearing the phone ring, he shook himself out of these thoughts, he shouldn't have been reminiscing anyway, and those days were long gone. No matter how much he wanted them back.

He picked up the phone, hoping that it did not wake Hong Kong, "Hello?"

"England."

Ah, so that's who it was, "China."

"_How is he?" _

"Good."

It was their weekly ritual and it never deviated from its' course. Each knew their role and stuck to it and it never changed.

"_You are treating him well?" _

"Of course."

There was a long pause as Arthur waited for the next question, which would most likely be, _is he eating well aru? _Or something to that extent, the other nation did not trust his cooking, _why?_ He had no idea but he wished he could have _someone _say his food was decent…

"He has grown, hasn't he, aru."

"Yes, he's eating three meals a day and…" It took a moment for the _actual_ question to register itself in his mind and when it did, he took a quick mental double take. "Excuse me?"

"_He's grown, hasn't he."_ China repeated. It wasn't a question; it was more of a statement. The other country's voice sounded strained as he said this, as if fearing the answer. Arthur didn't know what the other _really _wanted for an answer, so he went for the obvious.

"Yes, he has grown."

China seemed to have shaken himself out of whatever had made him act so strangely because he switched back to their scripted conversation, _"Well I should hope so, aru! With what you're feeding him, those scones might poison him, aru!" _

"I work very hard on the those scones!"

The rest of the conversation went on without any lapses in the conversation, leaving Arthur to wonder if it had happened at all or if he'd just imagined it.

…

The day to give Hong Kong back came much sooner that Arthur would have liked. And when he left, it was like a harsh relapse of years ago when all his little brother's left him, the only difference being that they _chose _to leave. And Hong Kong was never truly _his _to begin with. But it had felt like it, and he missed the younger boy after a few years. He'd come to miss his quiet presence, and his blunt comments, he'd even begun to miss the unexpected fireworks.

Which is why his hand lingered over the phone, uncertain to go through with what he'd decided to do. Steeling up his nerves he picked the phone up, dialing the familiar number, letting the phone ring as he waited.

"_Hello?" _

"China?"

"_Ah, England…"_ There was hesitancy to the other's voice when he gave the confirmation.

"How is he?" It felt so strange to be on the other side of the conversation. To not be the one with the answers, to be the one uncertain of what those answers would be.

"He is fine, aru. He is still as smart as ever. Luckily none of that English-training of yours ruined him, aru."

Arthur chucked slightly, playing along with the older nation. Speaking with Yao made one forget how wise the other country actually was, how many wars he'd been through, how many years he's seen, how much he's lost.

"Would it be alright…if I came to visit him?" There was a pause on the other end. Arthur knew he didn't deserve it; he'd never let China come visit Hong Kong. But, then again, the other nation had never asked.

Then he heard a sigh released from the other side, and he could almost _see _the long-suffering smile the other wore, _"Of course."_

…

"Be_ careful_, aru!"

Hong Kong gave his brother a small glance before turning back to the project at hand. A small set of fireworks about to be set off. Yao looked worried at the thought of his _little _brother playing with them.

Arthur laughed at the sight because it was one familiar to him. He'd gone through many of the same experiences, yelling at Hong Kong to 'not _light _those there', 'to quit chucking those things every where', and 'for heaven's sake, the house is no place for fireworks!".

China was merely learning, because he was not _there _during those years. Or rather, _Hong Kong _wasn't there. It only made sense that the older nation was trying to make up for lost time.

In the end, Yao gave up trying to tell the other what to do for the moment and traded scolding his brother in favor for sitting next to Arthur on porch, close enough to watch but not so close as the smother the boy.

"He's grown."

Yao looked up to find Arthur staring off into the distance, looking at Hong Kong, but at the same time, looking right past him. Yao guessed what the other nation was thinking about, but chose to answer the one he voiced.

He smiled proudly, "Yes, he has, aru."

"They grow up fast, don't they?" Arthur looked pained, and Yao could see his thoughts moving towards his younger brothers, Alfred and Matthew. Yao's smile faded slightly when he thought of his own younger sibling who had left him to make strides in the world.

"Yes, they do."

"Do you ever wonder…if you could have done something different? If you could have changed something." Yao studied his face carefully.

"There is no point in lingering in the past, aru. We cannot change what has happened."

Arthur lowered his head and nodded woodenly, "Yes, of course, you're right."

"They do not hate you."

He looked sharply at the other nation, and Yao met his gaze with a steady one of his own. "How can you be so sure?"

Yao looked at him for a moment longer then smiled, "Because you are family, aru. Nothing is stronger than that bond. Time cannot break it."

"What about you and Japan?" Arthur knew the other's brother and he were on less than kind terms with one another. They did not fight like he and Alfred, but that was because they hardly spoke at all.

Yao looked saddened and his gaze turned towards the sunset over the hills, "Kiku and I will find our way back to each other, aru." He turned back to Arthur to fix him with a meaningful gaze, "But we will _both _have to do our part."

Arthur smiled, catching the no-so-subtle point that the other was speaking of. He opened his mouth to answer when a loud stream of explosions interrupted him. Both countries spun around to find a Hong Kong smirking satisfactorily at his handiwork.

China leapt up rushing over to where his brother stood, "Aiya! What were you_ thinking_, aru!"

Hong Kong put up his hands as a sign of surrender though he was shaking with silent laughter, "Aniki, it was just an experiment, no need to get so worked up."

They both looked up to Arthur to settle the fight, to which Arthur just shook his head, "Not putting myself in this one."

The brothers continued to argue; China gesturing wildly as Hong Kong shook his head in response, denying whatever accusation was being thrown at him. Arthur smiled at the sight, enjoying it because in it's own strange way it was touching.

Because after all the years they had spent separated, they were still _family. _That had not changed over time, and it never would.

------

_I personally love the family dynamics between the characters in this fandom. Thanks to all the political issues and stuff (which I do not claim to understand in the least) it makes them that much more interesting. _

_R&R :) _


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